Album Review

After Dirty Pretty Things disbanded in late 2008, Carl Barat embarked on several projects, including the book Threepenny Memoir: The Lives of a Libertine and a stint in theater, both of which left their mark on his self-titled solo debut. Like his former bandmate Pete Doherty and the Last Shadow Puppets, Barat trades Paul Weller and Joe Strummer for Scott Walker, Kurt Weill, and Jacques Brel as his inspirations. It’s also a tried and true move for a rocker to show another side with an ambitious solo album filled with elaborate arrangements, and Carl Barat is no exception. The most memorable moments are the most flamboyant: “Je Regrette Je Regrette” adds charm to Barat’s cabaret; “Carve My Name” exudes widescreen melodrama with lyrics like “Take away the poet’s pen/I’ll never speak of love again”; and “The Fall”'s toy pianos, strings, wilting roses, and windswept kisses are bravely indulgent.

Biography

Born: 06 June 1978 in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England

Genre: Alternative

Years Active: '00s, '10s

Juggling music, acting and writing, Carl Barat had an eclectic career after the Libertines first disbanded in 2004. Though he signed to Vertigo as a solo artist in 2005, he soon formed Dirty Pretty Things, who released the number three U.K. album Waterloo to Anywhere a year later. Romance at Short Notice followed in 2008; that December, the band played its final gig. 2010 was a busy year for Barat: Not only did he release his self-titled solo debut album and the book Threepenny Memoir: The Lives...